Saurischia

Saurischia is one of the two basic divisions of dinosaurs, classified by their hip structure. Saurischia and Ornithischia were originally called orders by Harry Seeley in 1888, though today most paleontologists classify Saurischia as an unranked clade rather than an order.

Saurischia

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira · CC BY 4.0 · via Wikipedia/Commons. May be a photograph of a specimen, or an artist’s reconstruction — an interpretation of a skeleton, since colour and soft tissue are almost never preserved.

On record

Recorded, not inferred
Also called
saurischianPBDB
Sits inside
DinosauriaPBDB
Motility
actively mobilePBDB, for Osteichthyes
Environment
terrestrialPBDB, for Diapsida

Time the record covers

At least 174 million years on record.

The record covers at least 247 Mya to 72.2 Mya. No occurrence read is dated outside 251.902 Mya to 66 Mya.

Permian — about 0 of 4401 occurrencesEarly Triassic — about 4 of 4401 occurrencesMiddle Triassic — about 27 of 4401 occurrencesLate Triassic — about 399 of 4401 occurrencesLate TriassicEarly Jurassic — about 428 of 4401 occurrencesEarly JurassicMiddle Jurassic — about 221 of 4401 occurrencesLate Jurassic — about 1066 of 4401 occurrencesLate JurassicEarly Cretaceous — about 873 of 4401 occurrencesEarly CretaceousLate Cretaceous — about 1383 of 4401 occurrencesLate CretaceousPaleocene — about 0 of 4401 occurrences256–249 Mya — about 2 occurrences249–243 Mya — about 15 occurrences243–236 Mya — about 19 occurrences236–230 Mya — about 46 occurrences230–223 Mya — about 64 occurrences223–217 Mya — about 74 occurrences217–211 Mya — about 84 occurrences211–204 Mya — about 83 occurrences204–198 Mya — about 204 occurrences198–191 Mya — about 167 occurrences191–185 Mya — about 45 occurrences185–178 Mya — about 38 occurrences178–172 Mya — about 33 occurrences172–165 Mya — about 152 occurrences165–159 Mya — about 71 occurrences159–153 Mya — about 185 occurrences153–146 Mya — about 621 occurrences146–140 Mya — about 293 occurrences140–133 Mya — about 114 occurrences133–127 Mya — about 76 occurrences127–120 Mya — about 208 occurrences120–114 Mya — about 150 occurrences114–107 Mya — about 154 occurrences107–101 Mya — about 111 occurrences101–95 Mya — about 157 occurrences95–88 Mya — about 88 occurrences88–82 Mya — about 124 occurrences82–75 Mya — about 162 occurrences75–69 Mya — about 514 occurrences69–62 Mya — about 345 occurrences247 Mya72.2 Mya256 Mya62 Mya

4,401 occurrences of Saurischia on record, most of them in the Late Cretaceous. The Paleobiology Database records this as a living group, and the chart stops with its fossils rather than at the present. Bar height is expected occurrences, not a count: each fossil is spread across the span it is dated to, so a tall narrow bar means tight dating and a low wide one means loose.

When

4,401 occurrences

These are dates about fossils, not the animal: the record can only begin after it arose and end before it died out, so either end may reach further. Shares are expected occurrences: a fossil dated to a span is counted partly in each period it straddles. More on what this infers.

Found in

653 formations

Morrison — 39.07°N, 108.70°WMorrison — 42.04°N, 106.39°WMorrison — 39.65°N, 105.19°WMorrison — 42.15°N, 105.92°WMorrison — 42.02°N, 106.05°WMorrison — 43.38°N, 108.12°WMorrison — 43.63°N, 108.20°WMorrison — 40.42°N, 109.21°WMorrison — 35.20°N, 107.13°WMorrison — 40.44°N, 109.30°WMorrison — 38.12°N, 109.32°WMorrison — 38.54°N, 105.22°WMorrison — 38.81°N, 108.39°WMorrison — 41.91°N, 106.01°WMorrison — 45.25°N, 108.75°WMorrison — 36.21°N, 103.63°WMorrison — 35.56°N, 106.77°WMorrison — 38.45°N, 107.40°WMorrison — 41.88°N, 106.08°WMorrison — 39.24°N, 109.00°WMorrison — 38.58°N, 108.40°WMorrison — 44.54°N, 107.78°WMorrison — 44.65°N, 107.82°WMorrison — 41.97°N, 106.29°WMorrison — 38.73°N, 111.27°WMorrison — 38.55°N, 105.24°WMorrison — 43.65°N, 106.78°WMorrison — 36.90°N, 102.83°WMorrison — 36.93°N, 102.97°WMorrison — 38.54°N, 106.81°WMorrison — 38.64°N, 108.19°WMorrison — 45.54°N, 110.62°WMorrison — 44.47°N, 103.31°WMorrison — 39.01°N, 110.37°WMorrison — 44.53°N, 103.83°WMorrison — 44.18°N, 103.34°WMorrison — 43.41°N, 103.41°WMorrison — 44.46°N, 104.73°WMorrison — 44.25°N, 104.41°WMorrison — 45.45°N, 108.10°WMorrison — 35.32°N, 106.31°WMorrison — 35.58°N, 106.94°WMorrison — 37.53°N, 103.68°WMorrison — 38.32°N, 108.83°WMorrison — 41.92°N, 106.36°WMorrison — 39.17°N, 108.77°WMorrison — 37.02°N, 109.56°WMorrison — 39.08°N, 108.65°WMorrison — 42.15°N, 105.89°WMorrison — 44.23°N, 103.38°WMorrison — 40.50°N, 109.17°WMorrison — 44.02°N, 104.24°WMorrison — 44.84°N, 109.21°WMorrison — 44.09°N, 106.78°WMorrison — 44.68°N, 104.61°WMorrison — 42.18°N, 106.32°WMorrison — 38.25°N, 110.81°WMorrison — 38.71°N, 109.74°WMorrison — 38.92°N, 109.94°WMorrison — 38.97°N, 109.32°WElliot — 28.51°S, 28.62°EElliot — 30.57°S, 27.62°EElliot — 31.23°S, 27.00°EElliot — 30.95°S, 26.62°EElliot — 28.52°S, 28.42°EElliot — 28.62°S, 28.22°EElliot — 30.62°S, 27.17°EElliot — 31.08°S, 28.37°EElliot — 30.62°S, 27.35°EElliot — 30.55°S, 27.43°EElliot — 28.50°S, 28.23°EElliot — 30.70°S, 27.23°EElliot — 31.08°S, 26.78°EElliot — 26.18°S, 25.58°EElliot — 28.52°S, 29.17°EElliot — 29.11°S, 27.32°EElliot — 28.47°S, 27.82°EElliot — 30.57°S, 27.43°EElliot — 29.50°S, 27.45°EElliot — 28.98°S, 27.37°EElliot — 28.53°S, 28.50°EElliot — 30.65°S, 26.00°EElliot — 29.22°S, 27.34°EElliot — 30.18°S, 28.59°EElliot — 31.15°S, 26.62°EElliot — 31.13°S, 27.10°EElliot — 29.13°S, 27.37°EElliot — 30.75°S, 27.10°EElliot — 30.63°S, 27.47°EElliot — 30.43°S, 27.57°EElliot — 28.42°S, 27.97°EElliot — 28.42°S, 28.50°EElliot — 28.62°S, 28.27°EElliot — 28.67°S, 28.25°EElliot — 28.87°S, 27.27°EElliot — 28.97°S, 27.32°EElliot — 29.03°S, 27.48°EElliot — 29.07°S, 27.50°EElliot — 28.50°S, 27.93°EElliot — 30.81°S, 27.72°EElliot — 30.50°S, 27.53°EElliot — 30.62°S, 27.80°EElliot — 28.68°S, 28.17°EElliot — 30.30°S, 27.08°EElliot — 30.88°S, 26.91°EElliot — 28.55°S, 27.95°EElliot — 28.62°S, 28.41°EElliot — 28.94°S, 27.06°EElliot — 27.24°S, 28.85°EElliot — 28.78°S, 27.23°EElliot — 28.90°S, 27.57°EElliot — 29.23°S, 27.35°EElliot — 30.39°S, 27.50°ETendaguru — 9.71°S, 39.23°ETendaguru — 9.69°S, 39.25°ETendaguru — 9.79°S, 39.12°ETendaguru — 9.80°S, 39.31°ELameta — 21.18°N, 80.37°ELameta — 23.35°N, 80.37°ELameta — 23.17°N, 79.97°ELameta — 23.06°N, 73.34°ELameta — 17.33°N, 78.21°ELameta — 20.25°N, 79.10°ELameta — 20.90°N, 79.28°ELameta — 20.75°N, 79.48°ELameta — 22.34°N, 74.79°ELameta — 23.50°N, 81.56°ELameta — 23.10°N, 73.38°ELameta — 22.99°N, 73.34°ELameta — 22.96°N, 74.22°ELameta — 22.95°N, 74.14°ELameta — 22.86°N, 73.34°ELameta — 20.75°N, 79.42°ELameta — 22.13°N, 74.38°ELameta — 23.17°N, 79.95°ELameta — 22.89°N, 74.28°ELameta — 23.21°N, 80.10°ELameta — 23.34°N, 80.18°ELameta — 23.37°N, 80.46°ELameta — 21.00°N, 79.18°ELameta — 23.09°N, 74.15°ELameta — 22.25°N, 74.61°ELameta — 22.14°N, 74.71°ELameta — 20.71°N, 79.29°ELameta — 23.17°N, 74.12°ELameta — 20.53°N, 79.27°ELameta — 23.11°N, 79.84°ELameta — 20.35°N, 79.05°ELameta — 22.29°N, 74.53°ELameta — 22.28°N, 74.60°ELameta — 21.42°N, 78.00°ELameta — 22.39°N, 75.25°ELameta — 22.37°N, 74.72°ELameta — 22.35°N, 74.75°EVitakri — 29.70°N, 69.40°EVitakri — 29.71°N, 69.49°EVitakri — 29.77°N, 69.45°EVitakri — 29.89°N, 69.70°EVitakri — 29.67°N, 69.59°EVitakri — 27.76°N, 67.17°EVitakri — 30.96°N, 69.14°EVitakri — 29.51°N, 69.87°EAllen — 39.30°S, 67.53°WAllen — 40.06°S, 66.80°WAllen — 38.76°S, 67.98°WAllen — 39.57°S, 66.98°WAllen — 38.82°S, 68.07°WAllen — 40.45°S, 66.62°WAllen — 37.52°S, 69.22°WAllen — 39.46°S, 67.34°WAllen — 39.45°S, 67.32°WAllen — 39.95°S, 66.57°WAllen — 39.94°S, 66.59°WAllen — 40.02°S, 66.71°WAllen — 40.04°S, 66.81°WAllen — 40.10°S, 66.87°WAllen — 39.75°S, 66.75°WAllen — 38.45°S, 68.69°WAllen — 39.13°S, 67.67°WAllen — 40.73°S, 67.17°WAllen — 39.50°S, 67.37°WLufeng — 24.67°N, 102.59°ELufeng — 25.13°N, 102.08°ELufeng — 25.68°N, 104.08°ELufeng — 25.17°N, 102.08°ELufeng — 25.53°N, 102.40°ELufeng — 25.14°N, 101.96°ELufeng — 25.59°N, 102.32°ELufeng — 24.96°N, 102.15°ELufeng — 25.00°N, 102.03°ELufeng — 34.12°N, 111.97°EPortland — 41.81°N, 72.55°WPortland — 42.10°N, 72.59°WPortland — 41.90°N, 72.57°WPortland — 42.59°N, 72.60°WPortland — 42.61°N, 72.51°WPortland — 42.52°N, 72.55°WPortland — 42.28°N, 72.56°WPortland — 41.69°N, 72.64°WPortland — 42.16°N, 72.58°WPortland — 41.73°N, 72.66°WPortland — 41.57°N, 72.64°WVillar del Arzobispo — 40.66°N, 0.88°WVillar del Arzobispo — 38.67°N, 0.82°WVillar del Arzobispo — 40.12°N, 1.15°WVillar del Arzobispo — 40.63°N, 0.86°WVillar del Arzobispo — 40.28°N, 0.87°WVillar del Arzobispo — 40.69°N, 1.10°WVillar del Arzobispo — 40.56°N, 0.80°WVillar del Arzobispo — 40.58°N, 0.69°WVillar del Arzobispo — 39.93°N, 1.14°WVillar del Arzobispo — 40.37°N, 0.82°WVillar del Arzobispo — 40.24°N, 1.41°WVillar del Arzobispo — 40.28°N, 1.27°WVillar del Arzobispo — 40.67°N, 0.67°WVillar del Arzobispo — 39.90°N, 1.02°WVillar del Arzobispo — 40.35°N, 0.85°WVillar del Arzobispo — 40.33°N, 1.53°WReuchenette — 47.29°N, 7.38°EReuchenette — 47.18°N, 7.23°EReuchenette — 47.21°N, 7.27°EReuchenette — 47.21°N, 7.39°EReuchenette — 47.24°N, 7.48°EReuchenette — 47.41°N, 7.03°EReuchenette — 47.42°N, 7.11°ELourinhã — 39.04°N, 9.01°WLourinhã — 39.44°N, 9.21°WLourinhã — 39.24°N, 9.34°WLourinhã — 39.27°N, 9.33°WLourinhã — 39.80°N, 8.57°WLourinhã — 39.55°N, 8.98°WLourinhã — 39.43°N, 9.10°WLourinhã — 39.20°N, 8.15°WLourinhã — 39.11°N, 9.40°WLourinhã — 39.25°N, 9.22°WLourinhã — 39.33°N, 9.36°WLourinhã — 39.45°N, 9.21°WLourinhã — 39.85°N, 8.65°WLourinhã — 39.87°N, 8.60°WLourinhã — 39.27°N, 9.16°WLourinhã — 39.38°N, 9.32°WLourinhã — 39.17°N, 9.36°WLourinhã — 39.53°N, 9.13°WJindong — 34.91°N, 128.15°EJindong — 34.90°N, 128.15°EJindong — 34.99°N, 128.45°EJindong — 34.99°N, 128.40°EJindong — 35.07°N, 128.42°EJindong — 35.07°N, 128.28°EJindong — 35.43°N, 128.52°EJindong — 35.36°N, 128.41°EJindong — 35.10°N, 128.47°EAnacleto — 37.88°S, 68.52°WAnacleto — 38.20°S, 64.49°WAnacleto — 38.24°S, 64.40°WAnacleto — 38.84°S, 68.04°WAnacleto — 39.25°S, 68.72°WAnacleto — 37.87°S, 67.83°WAnacleto — 39.12°S, 67.65°WAnacleto — 38.82°S, 68.07°WAnacleto — 38.02°S, 68.50°WAnacleto — 38.09°S, 68.51°WAnacleto — 38.97°S, 68.05°WAnacleto — 37.45°S, 68.94°WAnacleto — 38.84°S, 68.84°WAnacleto — 37.39°S, 69.14°WAnacleto — 35.45°S, 69.73°WAnacleto — 37.13°S, 69.33°WAnacleto — 39.38°S, 67.69°WShaximiao — 28.70°N, 104.52°EShaximiao — 28.83°N, 104.13°EShaximiao — 29.41°N, 104.85°EShaximiao — 29.48°N, 104.37°EShaximiao — 32.37°N, 106.90°EShaximiao — 28.35°N, 104.78°EShaximiao — 30.10°N, 103.80°EShaximiao — 29.80°N, 104.85°EShaximiao — 30.00°N, 107.25°EShaximiao — 29.41°N, 104.77°EShaximiao — 29.22°N, 104.77°EShaximiao — 29.65°N, 104.07°EShaximiao — 30.94°N, 108.75°EShaximiao — 27.62°N, 105.55°EShaximiao — 30.85°N, 108.92°EShaximiao — 29.61°N, 104.19°EShaximiao — 29.36°N, 105.28°EElliot — 30.43°S, 27.60°EElliot — 30.40°S, 27.52°EElliot — 30.22°S, 27.52°EElliot — 29.36°S, 27.61°EElliot — 29.93°S, 27.40°EElliot — 30.08°S, 28.47°EElliot — 30.07°S, 28.38°EElliot — 30.52°S, 27.48°EElliot — 28.83°S, 28.07°EElliot — 30.03°S, 28.35°EElliot — 29.85°S, 27.27°EElliot — 29.33°S, 27.52°EElliot — 29.69°S, 27.38°EElliot — 30.18°S, 27.43°EElliot — 29.80°S, 27.40°EElliot — 29.82°S, 27.25°EWinton — 22.68°S, 143.57°EWinton — 22.18°S, 142.47°EWinton — 22.15°S, 142.57°EWinton — 22.25°S, 142.48°EWinton — 22.35°S, 143.09°EWinton — 24.42°S, 145.47°EWinton — 26.68°S, 142.59°EWinton — 22.09°S, 142.49°EWinton — 22.08°S, 143.51°EWinton — 22.38°S, 142.94°ESao Khua — 16.70°N, 102.25°ESao Khua — 16.68°N, 103.57°ESao Khua — 16.65°N, 102.25°ESao Khua — 16.13°N, 102.58°ESao Khua — 16.54°N, 104.14°ESao Khua — 16.43°N, 104.09°ESao Khua — 16.43°N, 104.00°ESao Khua — 17.00°N, 104.25°ESao Khua — 17.41°N, 102.79°ESao Khua — 17.25°N, 102.67°ESao Khua — 16.42°N, 104.67°ESao Khua — 17.88°N, 101.97°ESao Khua — 17.07°N, 104.16°ESao Khua — 17.25°N, 102.53°ESao Khua — 16.90°N, 102.65°EBroome Sandstone — 17.97°S, 122.18°EBroome Sandstone — 17.53°S, 122.15°EBroome Sandstone — 17.58°S, 122.16°EBroome Sandstone — 17.55°S, 122.15°EBroome Sandstone — 17.97°S, 122.29°ESerra da Galga — 19.72°S, 47.75°WSerra da Galga — 19.72°S, 47.74°WSerra da Galga — 19.61°S, 47.97°WSerra da Galga — 19.60°S, 47.62°WSerra da Galga — 19.63°S, 47.45°WSerra da Galga — 19.63°S, 47.23°WSerra da Galga — 19.76°S, 47.90°WCloverly — 44.98°N, 108.32°WCloverly — 45.38°N, 108.24°WCloverly — 45.45°N, 108.14°WCloverly — 45.44°N, 108.14°WCloverly — 46.32°N, 109.71°WCloverly — 45.26°N, 108.41°WCloverly — 44.54°N, 108.01°WCloverly — 44.04°N, 107.51°WCloverly — 44.65°N, 107.88°WCloverly — 44.51°N, 107.90°WCloverly — 44.50°N, 107.82°WCloverly — 44.48°N, 109.05°WCloverly — 44.44°N, 109.06°WCloverly — 45.19°N, 108.80°WCloverly — 45.80°N, 109.80°WCloverly — 45.49°N, 108.73°WAsencio — 33.87°S, 57.49°WAsencio — 33.52°S, 57.82°WAsencio — 34.20°S, 58.30°WAsencio — 34.02°S, 57.65°WAsencio — 32.66°S, 58.10°WAsencio — 34.53°S, 55.93°WAsencio — 33.06°S, 56.47°WAsencio — 33.63°S, 58.02°WAsencio — 33.72°S, 57.99°WAsencio — 33.22°S, 58.04°WAsencio — 33.12°S, 58.19°WAsencio — 32.19°S, 57.45°WAsencio — 33.00°S, 56.16°WAsencio — 32.64°S, 57.75°WAsencio — 31.93°S, 57.91°WAsencio — 33.05°S, 57.46°WAsencio — 32.39°S, 57.15°WAsencio — 32.11°S, 58.06°WAsencio — 33.86°S, 57.62°WCedar Mountain — 38.72°N, 109.69°WCedar Mountain — 39.14°N, 110.90°WCedar Mountain — 38.85°N, 109.56°WCedar Mountain — 38.83°N, 109.47°WCedar Mountain — 39.18°N, 110.11°WCedar Mountain — 40.44°N, 109.31°WCedar Mountain — 38.83°N, 109.27°WCedar Mountain — 38.82°N, 109.75°WCedar Mountain — 38.91°N, 110.11°WCedar Mountain — 38.73°N, 109.50°WCedar Mountain — 38.73°N, 109.59°WCedar Mountain — 38.94°N, 111.11°WCedar Mountain — 38.92°N, 109.69°WMaevarano — 15.90°S, 46.58°EMaevarano — 15.93°S, 46.52°EMaevarano — 16.13°S, 45.63°EMaevarano — 16.12°S, 45.74°EChinle — 34.44°N, 109.46°WChinle — 35.09°N, 109.79°WChinle — 38.65°N, 108.91°WChinle — 38.00°N, 111.13°WChinle — 34.83°N, 109.82°WChinle — 34.94°N, 109.76°WChinle — 34.81°N, 109.88°WChinle — 36.32°N, 106.48°WChinle — 35.60°N, 106.86°WChinle — 34.93°N, 109.64°WChinle — 35.03°N, 109.78°W

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The named rock units Saurischia has been recovered from, largest first. Drawn where the rock is now, not where it formed. 629 further formations hold fewer occurrences each and are not listed. 411 occurrences have no formation on record, which is common for older literature.

Saurischia and its relatives

Late Cretaceous

Where Saurischia and its relatives were recorded in the Late Cretaceous.

Found in the same rock

860 taxa

The Paleobiology Database records at least 1,590 sites for Saurischia, and this reads 240 of them. The number is how many of those sites it was catalogued from too. The 24 sharing the most are listed.

This is not a list of everything alive at the time. It is only what has come out of the same ground as this animal and been written down.

Entered from

1,941 references

Each of the 4,401 occurrences read was entered from one of these publications, ordered by how many each accounts for. This is not a search for papers mentioning the name. 1,929 further references are not listed. Entries link to doi.org where the Paleobiology Database holds an identifier, and to its own record where it does not. Relayed as the Paleobiology Database holds them, not checked against what they resolve to.

Media and terms

Media content3

Picture of Saurischia

Credit
Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira
Licence
CC BY 4.0
Commercial use
the licence allows it

CT scan

Licence
In Copyright
Commercial use
cannot be read from the licence given — check the record
Specimen
Saurischia indet. · amnh:farb:677

3D model

Source
Sketchfab
Credit
Tim
Licence
CC Attribution
Commercial use
cannot be read from the licence given — check the record

Smithsonian Open Access was not reached for this taxon, so this list is what the others held rather than everything there is.

The description on this site

Licence
CC BY-SA 4.0

This is what the site found, which is not the same as what exists.

Keep going

What may have been alongside itDinosauria through timeFormations of the Late CretaceousThe world it lived on

Occurrence data from the Paleobiology Database, CC BY 4.0. (Seeley 1888)